Electric-circuit-controlling switch.



E. OPPENHEIM & T. J. BURNS.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI, 191s.

1,1%6,U1fi. I Patented July 13, 1915.

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E. OPPENHEIM & T. J. BURNS.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLING SWITCH.

APPLiCATION FILED MAY 7. 1913.

Llfififllfi; Patented July 13, 1915.

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nine raa nwr @l l m ELECTRIC- CiECHIT-CONTROLLING SWITCH.

Specification of Letters laten-t.

Patented July as, rain.

Application filed'lvlay 7, 1913. Serial No. 766,135.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELEOIVOPPENHEIM and THOMAS J. BURNs, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Rockford, in'the county of WinnebagoandState of Illinois, have invented newuand useful Improvements inElectric-Circuit-Controlling Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric circuit controllingswitches and has particular application to a manually oper ablecombination switch.

In carrying out the present invention, it

is our purpose to provide a combination'electrio circuit controlllngswitch whereby one vknowing the combination may open and close thecircuit'with ease and convenience and'by means of which anunauthorized'person, or one not knowingthe combination, willbe unable to close theelectric circuit 7 controlled by the switch.

I of the class described which will embody a It is also ourpurpose toprovide a switch number of sets of contacts connected in series in anelectric circuit so that the c1rcu c will remain open until bothsets ofcontacts have been moved into circuit closing posl- 1 tionsthereby'minimizing the possibility of one unacquainted with thecombination closing-the circuit controlled by the switch.

- Furthermore, we aim to provide a switch v of the type set forth'whereinthe various sets of contacts may be individually manipulated' oroperated for opening and closing the circuit and wherein the contactswill be locked automatically in. open and closed positions. 1 1

With the above and other; objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction,

combination. and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in andfalling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is 'a top-plan view of acombination switch constructed in accordance with the present invention,the cover of the .casing of the switchv being removed. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectionalview through the casing on the .line 2-2 of Fig.l-showing parts of the switch mechanism in side elevation. v Fig.3 is afragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the switch. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal" sectional view showing a part of the mecha--- nism in topplan and. the'circuit controlled by'theswitch in diagram. Fig. 5 a fragof the casing adjacent to the rearwall there of is a block 2 formed witha longitudinal bore 3 opening onto the forward end thereof, whilesecured to the end wall of the bore 3 axially having the free endportion thereof loosely surrounded by a collar 5' adapted for slidmgmovement along the pin and within the bore 3,. a coiled compressionspring 6 encircling the' guide pin and having one end in engagement withthe adjacent extremity of the collar, such spring serving to hold thecollar normally projected out of the open end of the bore. Immediatelyin advance of. the-block 2 is a bearing block 7 appropriately secured tothe lower wall, of the casing and formed with a passage 8 coaxial withthe bore 3 in the block 2, the bearing block serving to limit theoutward movement of the collar 5 under the action of the spring 6thereby preventing accidental displacement of'the collar. Fixed to theblock 2-at opposite sides thereof are metallic contact strips 9havingthe forward ends theretop plan view of theswitch, parts of thelatter is a guide pin 4: f

of inturned-and lying upon the front end of the block Qat opposite sidesof the bore 10' adapted when forced inwardly against the action of thespring 6 to bridge the contact strips 9.

Surmounting the block 2 and secured 13 lying in a plane parallel withthat 'of the block andv having one end thereof abutting therear wall ofthe casing 1 and the oppothe block 2. Upsta-nding from the bearing plate13 adjacent-to the rear end and centrally thereof is a pivot block 14having its opposite ends equipped with outwardly extending pivot pins15.

16, 16 designate levers, each fulcrumed at one end upon one ofthe pivotpins 15 and having the opposite end thereof terminating substantiallyflush withthe forward extremity ofthe plate 13 and bifurcatedor theretoin some suitable manner is a plate sionspring 21, the free end of thelatter engaging the lug 18 on the particular lever 16.

When each lever 16' is in its raised or eleadjacentend of the plate 13and so holds the 15 ,TEXtending. upwardly from the bottom wall of thecasing 1 in advance of the bear- -ingblock 7 is a vertical plate 22 andsecured .to' 'theTopposite side edges of such :plate are the verticallydisposed portions of 2 angle arms 23 having the horizontal parts thereofextended rearwardly of the vertical plate and suitably spaced apart andformed with aliningiapertures to receive a rod 24 disposed in ahorizontal plane above the 25 ers carried by the levers 16.; To the rearen 1 of, each lever 16' is fastened one exi'tremity of'acontraetilespring 25 having the'free {terminal thereof coiled about therod=24and'thence extended downwardly to form. 'a, resilient spring finger 26;Depending from the rod 24 and mounted for-swinging movement thereon aresmall rectangular plates-{27" each disposed in advance of one pfthefinge'rs 19 and adapted, when the to eontactwith the adjacent-part ofthe linger ,119 and,.1-when actuated, swing the latter 3.a'bou t the'pivotal connection with the l'ever-against thejaction of the spring 21whereby theishoulder 20 will be disengaged from the plate 13. and thelever swung downwardly 'uiider vthe action of the contractile spring25." :The' inner side edge of each "levergI-B' at'a point immediately inadvance ofthe lug 18' is notched or .cut out as at 28 to provide adownwardly inclined wall 29,

whileslidab ly mounted upona guide 30 adojacent the. inner side edge ofeach'lever '16 'isa bar 31 equipped with a laterally extend: -ing lug-32provided with an inclined wall 33' and fittingwithin the notch or cutout portionL28'of the respective lever, the in- 'elinedwall 33"of'thelug contacting with the inclined wall 29 of the cut outportion and isadapted, when the sliding bar 31 is moved -ir wvardly to engage theinclined wall of such neut'portion of the lever. and so force the mater.upwardly against the, action of the respective contractile spring 25thereby enahling the shoulder 20 on the respective finger to engage theupper surface of the plate 13 'and so hold the respective leverelevated. I lheseosliding bars 31 are normally held re-' tracted or in.an inactive position so that when the levers are relieved of theinfluence ".yatedpositi'on, the shoulder 20 engages the,

'partieujlar'lever is held in elevated position,

1 meme of the latching fingers such levers may be thrown downwardlyunder the action of the contractile spring 25. In the present in--stance, each sliding bar 31 has connected thereto one terminal of acoiled contractile spring 34, the opposite end of such spring beingfastened to the vertical plate 22.

Suitably fastened to the lower wall of the casing 1 immediately adjacentto the front wall of such casing is a rectangular guide strip 34%-formed with an elongated longitudinal slot 36 having the opposite wallsthereof-formed with alining apertures 37 registering with apertures 38in the front wall of the casing.

, Slidably mounted within the sets of alining apertures 37, .38 at theopposite sides of the center set of such apertures are plungers 39, 39each having the free end thereof passed through anaperture 171 thevertical plate 22 and terminating in advance of one of the swingingplates 27, while slidably mounted within the sets of apertures 37, 38

free end thereof in contact with a stem 41 on one of the'sliding bars31, the stems of the bars being .slidably disposed within apertures in astrip 42 carried by the forward end of the plate 13 projecting upwardlytherefrom.- In the set of apertures 37, 38 between the plungers 39, 39is slidably mounted a plunger 41 having the shank thereof connected tothe collar 5 carrying the bridgingstrip 10, the plungers" 39, 39, 40,40and 41 being encircled by coiled expansion springs 43 disposed betweenthe walls of the elongated slot 36 in the guide strip 35, one end ofeach spring contacting with the inner wall of-the slot, while theopposite end thereof bears against a pin or the like carried by theplunger shank, such springs acting'to holdthe plungers normallyinactive,

From this construction, it will be obvious that by depressing theplunger 41, the bridging strip v10 will be moved inwardly to bridge thecontact strips 9, 9, while through bars will engage the similar walls ofthe cut out portions in the levers and so elevate the latter against theaction of thecontractile springs 25 whereby the shoulders 20 on thefingers19 will engage the upper surface of the plate 13 and so hold thelevers ele vated. Should it be desired to render the bridging strip 10immovable under the. action of the plunger 41 so far as bridging thecontactsis concerned, the plungers 39, 39 may be-moved. inwardly toswingthe lever 48 and fulcrumed between its ends adplates '27 intoengagement with the adjacent' ends of the fingers 19 whereby the latterwill be swung about their pivotal connections with the levers 16 1 tionof the spring the shoulders on 13 and enabling the contractile springs25 to function to swin the levers 16 to lowered position therebyoIisposing the lower extremities of the fingers 19 in the path ofmovement of the bridgingstriplO and between such bridging strip and thecontact strips 9. Thus, it will be impossible for one unacquainted withthe structure of the switch or the combination of the plungers tomanipulate the bridging strip 10 in order to bridge the contact strips9.

The contact strips 9, 9 and the bridging strip 10 constitute what weterm the second- 21 thereby disengaging ary contacts of the switch andin conjunctionwith such set of secondary contactswe employ a set ofprimary contacts, composed in the present instance, of twopairs ofcontacts, the contacts of each pair embodying a resilient contact 44suitably fastened to a binding post 45 upstanding from the lower wall ofthe casing 1 adjacent to the opposite side of the vertical plate 22, anda contact strip 46 fulcrumed as at 47 for swinging movement and adaptedto engage the resilient contact 44. Each swinging contact strip 46 isdisposed in the path of movement of a lever 48 fulcrumed between itsends as at 49 upon the lower wall of the casing 1 and having. one endthereof contacted by one terminal of an expansion spring 49, the freeterminal of the latter being secured to a block 50 uprising fromthe'lower wall of the casing adjacent to the lever 48. Arranged atsubstantially right angles to each jacenttoone side of the block 2 is alever 51 having the rear face thereof equipped with a lug 52 spacedapart therefrom and adapted to be engaged by. a lug 53 on the inner endof the lever 48, contractile springs 54' each having one end thereoffastened to the respective lever 51 and the opposite end secured to thelower wall of the casing or housing 1 as at 55.

The levers 51, 51 act in the capacity of a combined lock and obstructingdevice and for this purpose have their extremities disposed adjacenttothe bridging strip 10 inturned to form lugs 56 adapted,under certainconditions, to enter the space between the contact strips 9, 9 and thebridging strip 10 and so prevent bridging of the strips 9, 9 and underother conditions to engage the extremities of the bridging strip 10 andhold the latter in contact with the contact strips 9, 9 against theaction of the spring 6. In the open position of the pairs of contactsconstituting the primary set, the lugs 56 on the respective ends of thelevers 51, 51 are and against the ac-' the fingers from the plate suchset, the contractile springs 54 being under tension in this position ofthe parts.

In order to release the levers 48 from the influence ofthe locking lugs58 and 52 and swing such levers against the tension of the respectivesprings 49 so that the set of primary contacts may be actuated tocircuit closing position, we mount in the outer sets of registeringapertures 37 and 38 plungers 57, 57 having the free extremities of theshanks thereof adapted to contact with the outer extremities of thelevers 48, 48. Assuming the parts to be in the positions illustrated inFig. 4 wherein the primary set of contacts are shown to be open, and itis deswinging the levers 48 about" their pivots 49 and against thetension of the spring 49 and so disengaging the locking lugs 53 on therespective ends of such levers'from engagement withv the lugs 52 on thelevers 51. In the continued movement of the plunger 57, 57, the swingingcontacts 46 of the primary set move into engagement with the yieldingcontacts 44 under the action of the levers 48, while the springs 54react to throw the ends of the lugs 52 on the levers 51 into the path ofmovement of the lugs 53 on the levers 48 thereby preventing thelast-mentioned levers from returning to inactive positions under theinfluence of the expansion springs 49. If the switch is being manipwlated by one acquainted with the combination and such person desires toclose the circuit controlled by the switch, the plunger 41 is pressedinwardly so that the bridging strip 10 will bridge the contact strips 9,9 previous to the release of the levers 51 just described so that thelugs 56, 56 on the respective ends of such levers will engage thecontacts out of en thrown into the path of movement of the bridgingstrip 10 thereby rendering the switch inoperative so far asclosing'th'ecircuit controlled thereby is concerned In order thatthe-levers 51, 51 may be restored to inactive position, subsequent tothe releasing of the same under the action of the plungers 57 57 anysuitable means may be employed. In the present instance, a releasin};bar 58 is slidably disposed within the casing 1 in suitable guides atthe rear of the free extremities of the levers 51,51 and has one endthereof pro ectmg outwardly of one side of the casing. Formed on thereleasing rod 58 adjacent toone of the levers 51 is the lug 59. adaptedto engage such lever and swing the sameabout its pivot against theaction of the spring 541, while pivotally mountedupon the lower wall ofthe casing as at 60 adjacent to" the other lever 51 is an arm 61 havingone end thereof disposed in the path of movementof the releasing rod 58,a contractile spring 62 normally holding one end of the arm 61 out ofcontact with the adjacent portion of the lever 51.

- Thus, it will' be seen that when the releasing rod 58 is movedinwardly of the casing,

the lug 59 thereon-will engage the adjacent lever '51, while the freeend Q'f'SUCll rod will contact with the arm 61 and so swing the latterabout its pivot 'point 60, thereby I swinging both levers 51, 51 againstthe ten- .SlOIl of the springs 54 so as to restore such levers toinactive position whereby the springs 49 will react to swing the levers48 and so throw the'lugs 53 into locking engagement with the lugs 52thereby opening the switch as clearly illustrated in "Fig. 1 of thedrawings. I

The primary and secondary sets of contacts are connected in series in anelectric circuit so that it will be impossible to energize the circuitwithout closing 'bothsets of contacts, This circuit includes a s'uitablesource of electrical energy such, for in-' stance, as a dynamo 63, aconductor 64 leadi 1 ing from one side of the generator and terminallyconnected to one of the swinging leading-from the yielding contactoperating with the just mentioned swlnging contacts 46 of the'primaryset, a wire 65 contact and forming a continuation of the conductor 64,the free terminal of the wire 65 being tapped onto the other yieldingcon-i tact of the primary set. Fromthe swinging'contact strip 16cooperating with the last mentio-ned yielding contact 44: of the rprimary set leads a wire 66 forming, with thewire 65, a continuation ofthe conductor 64 and including suitable translating .devices. Thefree-terminal of the wire 66 is tapped ontoone oflthe contact strips 9,while to the remaining contact strip 9 is fastened to the generatorjandtapped 'siteside thereof. I

one terminal of a conductor 67 leading back 'onto the oppo- From theforegoing description ,taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction, mode of operationand manner of employingourelectric circuit controlling switch will be readily apparent. It willbe; seen that we have pro- I a vid ed a combination switch for thecontrol of electric circuits wherebythe circuit can not be closed unlessbothsets of contacts have been properly manipulated. Furthermore, itwill be observed that the levers 51,

51 act to lock the primary set of contacts in circuit closing positionand the secondary set of contacts in circuit closing position when theswitch ismanipulated by one acquaintedwith the combination; but whenoperated by an unauthorized person itwill be seen that the lugs 56, 56on the respective ends of the levers 51, 51, assuming ofcourse,

that the plungers o r o7 have'been depressed, previous to'the actuationof the plunger 11, will enter the space between the contact strips 9, 9and the bridging strip 10 thereby obviating the closing of the circuit,the levers 51,51 performing the two-fold function of a lock for bothsets of contacts and of an obstructing device for the bridging strips. r

'lVhile we have herein shown and described one preferred form of ourinvention by way of illustration, we desire to have it understood thatwe do not limit or confine ourselves to the precise details ofconstruction herein described and delineated, as

modification and variation may be madewithin the scope of the claims andwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

\Ve claim:

1. In an electric circuit controlling switch, a set of contactsconnected in the circuit, a bridging strip movable into engagement withsaid contacts, a second set of contacts connected in series with thefirst contacts and normally out of engagement with each other, means formoving said bridging strip into engagement with the cooperatingcontacts, means for engaging the second-named contacts with each other,and means com- ,monto said bridging strip and said secondnamed contactstolock the bridging strip in engagement with the companion contacts andthe movable 'contacts in engagement With each other.

- 2. In an electric circuit controlling switch, a set ofcontactsconnected in the circuit, a bridging strip movable. into engagement withsaid contacts, a second set of contacts connected in series with the,first contacts and normally out of engagement with each other, means'formoving said bridging strip into engagement with the cooperatingcontacts, means 'for engaging the second-named In an electric circuitcontrolling switch,

a set of contacts connected in the circuit, a

bridging strip movable into engagement with said contacts, a second setof contacts connected .in series with the first contacts and normallyout of engagement with .each other, means for moving said bridging stripinto engagement with the cooperating contacts, means for engaging thesecond-named contacts with each other, means common to said bridgingstrip and said second-named contacts to lock the 'bridging strip inengagement with the companion contacts and the movable contacts inengagement with each other,manu'ally operable-means for releasing saidlocking means whereby the bridging strip may be disengaged from thecompanion contacts and the second-mentioned contacts disengaged fromeach other simultaneously, and means for throwing the bridging strip outof engagement with the coacting contacts uponthe operation of saidreleasing means. s 4. In an electric circuit controlling switch, a pairof contacts connected in the circuit, a bridging strip adapted to bridgesaid contacts, a second set of contacts connected in series with thefirst contacts and normally spaced apart, means for moving said bridgingstrip into engagement with the cooperating. contacts, means foractuating one of the last-mentioned contacts into engagement with theremaining contact, and means commonto said bridging strip and said lastmentioned contacts to lock the bridging strip in engagement with thecooperating contacts and the last-mentioned contacts in engage-' mentwith each other simultaneously.

5. An electric circuit controlling switch comprising a pair of contacts,a bridging strip adapted to bridge said contacts, a sec ond set ofcontacts connected in series with the first-mentioned contacts andnormally out of engagement with each other, means for moving saidbridging strip into engagement with the companion contacts, means formoving one of the last-mentioned contacts into engagement with theremaining contact, and means movable into the path of said bridgingstrip to hold the latter out of engagement with the cooperatingcontacts.

6. An electric circuit controlling switch comprising a pair of contacts,a bridging strip adapted to bridge said contacts, a second set ofcontacts connected in series with the-first-mentioned contacts andnormally out of engagement with each other, means for moving saidbridging strip into engagement with thecompanion contacts, means formoving one of the last-mentioned contacts into engagement withthe'remaining contact, andmeans under the control of said last means andmovable into the pathof said bridging strip to hold the latter out ofengagement with-the cooperating contacts.

7. An electric circuit controlling switch comprising a pair of'contacts,a bridging strip adapted to bridge said contacts, asecondset of contactsconnected in series with the first-mentioned contacts and normally outof engagement with each other, means for moving said bridging strip intoengagement with the companion contacts, means for moving one of thelast-mentioned contacts into engagement with the remaining contact,means under the control of said la st means and movable into the path ofsaid bridging strip to hold the latter out of en-' gagement with thecooperating contacts, and means movableinto the path of said bridgingstrip independently of said last means to hold the bridging strip out ofengagement with the cooperating contacts. In testimony whereof we afiixour signatures in presence of two witnesses. I ELEG OPPENHEIM. THOMAS J.BURNS.

Witnesses;

M. FRAIPONT,

H. G. WEBBER.

